


Back, Changed

by Kalira



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Blade of Marmora Keith (Voltron), Ex-Paladin Keith (Voltron), M/M, Promises, Reunions, Uncertainty, Whumptober, Whumptober 2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-17
Updated: 2019-10-17
Packaged: 2020-11-24 04:21:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,101
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20901560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kalira/pseuds/Kalira
Summary: Keith is finally back on Castle of Lions after more than a year with the Blade of Marmora . . . but is heback, truly?





	Back, Changed

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [Whumptober](https://whumptober2019.tumblr.com/post/187785964678/whumptober2019-october-approaches-and-so-does), Day 17: "Stay with me"
> 
> I wrote this when I was having a bit of difficulty with their voices for a larger project . . . and wound up writing not at all their usual voices, given the situation they're in, anyway. XD Oops.
> 
> I've still yet to see more than seasons 1-4 of Voltron, so this is written pretty uch purely based on the earlier inferences in re: Keith, his Galra heritage, and the Blades of Marmora.

Shiro hesitated at the door, then took a breath and tapped-

He was surprised when it slid open immediately, but stepped forwards, not quite over the threshold. “Ah, Keith? I. . . Can I talk with you?”

Keith turned to look at Shiro over his shoulder, putting a piece of his gleaming black armour down on the table before him. “Of course, Shiro.” He smiled and inclined his head in invitation, and Shiro came inside. The room was bare, and Shiro had to remind himself Keith had . . . hardly had time to settle into it again yet. He would.

Shiro hoped.

“I-” Shiro began, then faltered, licking his lips.

“Mm?” Keith prompted easily after a few moments of silence, removing his chestpiece and allowing his braid to fall across his shoulder and down his back. Shiro’s eyes followed the sweep of it and he bit his lip. Keith had never had long hair before.

“I missed you.” Shiro said softly. “I missed you _so much_.”

Keith froze, then turned to him, eyes wide. And that . . . _that_ was an expression Shiro knew, when he had been beginning to fear that the Keith _he_ knew was . . . gone. He wasn’t sure how he felt knowing that the piece of Keith he remembered, the one he had still before him now, was surprise and uncertainty.

“I. . .” Keith turned away, but only long enough to shed the last piece of his armour, leaving it on the table beside his blade. Then he moved towards Shiro, dark eyes meeting Shiro’s own. “I missed you, too.” he said, voice low, reaching up as though he would brush a hand over Shiro’s cheek, then stilling. “I _had_ to go, you know I had to- But I. . .”

Shiro clasped Keith’s hand and watched his shoulders ease. “I know you had to go, and I’m . . . glad you could learn more about. . .” _your mother, yourself, your blood, your people_, Shiro thought, “but I didn’t _want_ you to go, and I wanted you back every moment.”

Keith smiled slightly, stepping closer, until Shiro could feel the warmth of his body through both their clothes and the tiny space between them. “You have me back, now?” he said, not quite sure, not quite an offer.

Shiro pressed Keith’s hand to his cheek, closing his eyes thoughtlessly as he leaned into it, covering it with his own. Keith’s hand was warm, slender fingers and strong palm striped with smooth calluses, and the calluses may have shifted but the touch was still familiar, and Shiro’s throat tightened painfully.

“I will always want you back, when you go.” Shiro said, his voice rough, and opened his eyes to meet Keith’s once more.

Keith smiled, thumb sweeping over Shiro’s face. “You can always _have_ me back. I’ll always come back, Shiro.” he added, quiet and sincere, his voice sure. “For as long as you want me, I’m still yours.”

Shiro’s breath hitched and he closed his eyes tightly, a shudder running down his spine. Keith stepped in close, dropping his hand from Shiro’s cheek but only to wrap his arms around Shiro’s waist. “Hey,” Keith said, resting his cheek against Shiro’s collarbone, “did you really think you’d lost me?”

“_Yes._” Shiro said brokenly, before he could catch the word back. He opened his eyes as he caught Keith in his arms, holding on tight. “I-” he faltered as he met Keith’s wide, shocked eyes. “I did, baby. I was afraid. . .”

_I let you go_, Shiro thought, shuddering, _I didn’t try to stop you, I didn’t even say I needed you to come back._

Keith, Shiro realised, was shushing him softly, rocking with him and- and drawing him over to the bed. They sank down onto it together, and Keith pushed Shiro back, then planted himself firmly astride Shiro’s lap just as he opened his eyes.

“You will _never_ lose me so long as you _want_ me to come back, and it is within my power to do so.” Keith said firmly, with that set to his sharp jaw and his glittering eyes that made it seem like he could take on the universe and win. He was just as fierce as he had always been, but he was steadier now, Shiro thought, since he’d gone. Since he’d been across the universe with the Blades, barely in touch, for over a year.

Of course he’d changed. Grown. Shiro just. . .

“I don’t know if I-” Shiro rubbed one hand up Keith’s back and caressed his cheek with the other. “If I deserve that. You.”

“Mm.” Keith tilted his head to one side and smiled, a little sharp. “Perhaps it is a good thing, then, that _you_ don’t get to decide what is deserving of my loyalty. Or my heart.”

Shiro wrapped his arms tightly around around Keith’s waist. “I. . . I love you.” he said quietly.

Keith cupped his face between both hands, shifting to settle on Shiro’s thighs. “That’s all I need, for you to _deserve_ me.” he said softly, nudging his nose against Shiro’s and rubbing his thumbs over Shiro’s cheekbones before letting his hands slide down to Shiro’s shoulders. “I love you, too. I missed you. The whole time.”

Shiro shuddered, and Keith wrapped his arms around Shiro’s shoulders, leaning into him, lean body warm and solid. “Stay with me?” he asked quietly, almost begging.

Keith moved back and Shiro grabbed at him, then bit his lip and forced himself to drop his arms from around Keith. To let him go.

Keith caught his left hand, pulling Shiro towards himself as he settled back against the head of the bed. “Shiro. Shh.” He ran his fingers through Shiro’s shaggy forelock and then down to the nape of his neck, drawing him in with a gentle, firm clasp there. “I may go again,” he said, and Shiro closed his eyes, throat tight, nodding, “I will always come back.” he added, and tugged. Shiro followed the pull and settled against him, shivering at the feel of Keith solid and warm beneath him, breathing slow and deep, his heart thumping steadily.

“I won’t go so long again, not without. . . Not without being able to at least see you.” Keith said, his own voice faltering a little. “I. . . I need you, too, you know.” he said, raw and not quite breathless.

Shiro opened his eyes, looking up to see an uncertain little hopeful look on Keith’s face. He leaned up and kissed Keith, thoughtless and warm, and his lips curved into a smile against Shiro’s as he slid down, letting himself be caught beneath Shiro’s weight and winding his arms around Shiro’s shoulders once more.


End file.
